College Essay Narrative (Essay 1) Notes for Preparation

 Read the sample college essays on your desk. Underline passages you like.  Make note of the best and the worst (your opinion, of course).  Scribble questions in the margin if you have any.  I have been known to give quizzes on these, so READ! Bell-Ringer

 Write down your writing “process.”  DO NOT WRITE – “I don’t have a process. I just write.” Everyone has some sort of writing routine for beginning, completing, and checking an essay.  What is your preferred writing means? (handwritten, typed, etc)  What is your preferred writing environment?  What is your preferred editing method?

Your Name Date Class Period Type of Essay (Event Narrative #1) On every paper (on your title page or upper right hand corner)

 Double-space the text of your paper, and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are recognizable one from another. The font size should be 12 pt. Font

Title page Outline Body Works Cited (if necessary) Additional information (prewriting, sources, etc.) if requested. Paper order ….

Start numbering at page 2. Do not put a one on page 1 of the body. Simply begin with a 2 on page 2 of the body. In every paper …

 EVERYONE needs to prewrite.  Whether you use a web, cluster, chart, list, brainstorming, etc., prewrite and outline to organize your ideas.  Prewrite for your essay question.  Make a rough outline of how you will approach your answer to this question. Prewriting

 Complete a rough draft answer to your essay question.  Remember your job is to impress an application committee. Try not to write about the same things that everyone will write about. Think outside the box! Homework:

 Go through your paper and begin a list in your notebook of grammatical errors with corrections:  Sample Notebook Entry: (Top of page ) Grammar Errors Essay 1: Personal Narrative 1.Run –on (corrected) I was late for class, and I got a tardy. 2.Spelling – conscience (not conscious)  From now on you will do this with graded final drafts. You probably won’t have many to list. If you aren’t sure about the error or correction, ask! Assignment: Go through your paper and begin a list in your notebook of grammatical errors with corrections:

 READ!! BELLRINGER

 Comma splice – combining two sentences with only a comma only or using a comma where none is needed. The most common comma splice error: I am eager to begin my life at college, and begin my career as well. Correct: I am eager to begin my life at college and begin my career as well. Grammar: Comma Splices

Do not ever begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (and, or, so, but, nor, yet). They must be used as connectors. Common: So I was late for school. Correct: I was late for school. Grammar: Coordinating Conjunctions

 To emphasize important sections: slow down the action.  Common:  I saw it coming before anyone else. Because he was carrying the huge cake, Chef Pierre did not see the first step. He fell down the steps, and the cake splattered. Style and Content: Details to provide an image

 With details: Like a newly walking toddler, overly confident and unaware of potential pitfalls, Chef Pierre strode into the dining area. Unfortunately, (also like a toddler) he didn’t exactly watch where he was going. The step down caught him by surprise. As if in slow motion we watched him stumble, the cake flying out of his grasp as he unsuccessfully reached toward it. In the end, it was a free fall of cake, icing, and one awkward, bumbling chef. Style and Content: Details to provide an image

Common: The crunch of metal caught my attention. I looked up to see a trash truck scraping the side of my brand new car. I yelled for the truck driver to stop, but he kept going. Vivid: A rumbling, screeching noise assaulted my ears. I whirled around, a sick feeling crashing to the bottom of my stomach as I saw my car. Unaware of my screams to stop, the trash truck driver rumbled on down the street, oblivious to the damage he’d left behind. Style and Content: Vivid Verbs and modifiers to speed it up.

 For now, be intentional in framing your essay. Mention something in the beginning that you also mention in the end (similar to repeating the thesis). I always wondered why he had purple shoelaces in all of his shoes…… Purple shoelaces aside, this was someone I would never forget. Style and Content: Framing

Somewhere in the intro: The one time she told me she was disappointed in me was a day I will never forget…. Somewhere in the conclusion: To this day, I don’t like to think of that day I disappointed my mom. Style and Content: Framing